Number of jobs in Burnley offering remote working rise by 391%

Burnley has seen a 391 per cent growth in job postings offering remote working since the pandemic, and comes in at second on a list of 25 locations across the country that have seen the most significant rise in these sort of opportunities. 

A significant increase in remote and hybrid working roles is now helping to drive new opportunities across the UK, according to data gathered by recruitment platform Indeed in collaboration with video conferencing app Zoom.

Using its own recruitment data, Indeed has worked with Zoom to identify the locations across the country that have seen the most significant growth in remote and hybrid job opportunities, analysing the difference in postings between February 2020, prior to the pandemic, and March 2022, when restrictions had been lifted.

In each of the top 25 locations, job adverts that offer candidates the flexibility to work remotely have more than tripled and grown at a faster pace than the local jobs market overall - indicating the rise in remote roles over the last two years has driven up opportunity in each area.

Worthing, near Brighton, ranks first with a 650 per cent increase in remote roles and a 50 per cent increase in total jobs available compared to pre-pandemic levels.

This is followed by Burnley, where jobs offering remote working have increased by 391 per cent, while all job postings have gone up by 56 per cent.

Stoke, Southend and Dundee followed, all of which today have more than four times as many remote roles on offer compared to before the pandemic.

Only three of the top 25 locations are located in London or the South East - regions traditionally associated with greater economic activity.

Elsewhere in the North West, Manchester came in ninth, while Birkenhead, Warrington and Liverpool came 16th to 18th in the list.

The new data comes as part of a wider report launched by Zoom on how the UK can strive to become a pioneer in hybrid work, which calls on the Government to take a number of steps to help capitalise on this economic opportunity.

Head of UK and EMEA North at Zoom, Phil Perry, said: “The UK has the potential to be a global leader in hybrid working.

"Indeed’s data shows how greater access to remote roles is already helping to drive growth in overall opportunities across the country.

“During the pandemic, adoption of video conferencing tools like Zoom by SMEs was higher in the UK than in any other G7 country, and we are now beginning to see how greater availability of hybrid roles is expanding opportunity in areas outside of London and the South East.

"This underlines the vital role hybrid technologies can play in levelling up the country, and getting the conditions right now will help the UK reap long-term economic benefits.”

UK Economist at Indeed, Jack Kennedy, added: "The increased availability of remote and hybrid options across the UK is a boon for workers, giving them much greater choice over where they live and work.

"It’s particularly important for those who want or need flexibility to accommodate their commitments outside of work.

"Employers benefit in being able to widen geographic access to talent and accommodate workers who would otherwise face barriers, which is especially valuable in a tight labour market.

"Moreover, being able to offer employees better work-life balance means organisations can reap the benefits of a happier and more productive workforce.”

While cities have seen an increase in the share of jobs that offer remote options, these benefits are also being felt in towns such as Burnley, where there are now more potential opportunities for people to stay local and work remotely or on a hybrid basis.

This has the potential to help drive the regeneration of both rural and suburban areas, particularly those which were previously commuter towns that may have rarely seen high street visitors during the day.

To build on this, Zoom is now calling on the Government to support a network of local working hubs across the UK that will give workers the option of a third location to work from - beyond the office or home - rooted in their community.

This would help minimise the need for employees to commute daily out of their community and incentivise them to visit their local town centre during the day, helping to revitalise the high street.